Quick Summary
In August 2015, the White Earth Nation celebrated the grand opening of Maamigin Achigaazo, the community’s tribal library whose name means “the gathering place.” An initiative housed under White Earth’s Childcare/Early Childhood Program, Maamigin Achigaazo aims to close the literacy gaps that begin in childhood.
In August 2015, the White Earth Nation celebrated the grand opening of Maamigin Achigaazo, the community’s tribal library whose name means “the gathering place.” An initiative housed under White Earth’s Childcare/Early Childhood Program, Maamigin Achigaazo aims to close the literacy gaps that begin in childhood. To launch the library, White Earth received a competitive grant of $121,000 through the IMLS Native American Library Services grant program. These grant funds—combined with guidance from the Northern Lights Library Network, furniture donated by Minnesota State University Moorhead, and extensive leadership from Barb Fabre, former director of the Childcare/Early Childhood Program—were enough to fill a building with shelves, to fill shelves with books for readers of all ages, to provide computers and wifi, and to create a Smart Play Spot based on installations at the Minnesota Children’s Museum.
Today, the library is managed by Kayla Gordon, Literacy Specialist with the White Earth Childcare/Early Childhood Program. Having previously taught with Head Start, Kayla is well-prepared to carry out the library’s mission. Along with traveling to childcare facilities to read to children and provide educators with professional development in early literacy, Kayla is working with White Earth’s Head Start and K-12 Circle of Life Academy to bring more books into classrooms. During field trips to Maamigin Achigaazo, each child uses their very own library card to check out books. Circle of Life does not have a library, so for some of the kindergarteners, their first trip to Maamigin Achigaazo is also their first trip to a library.
Beyond classrooms, Maamigin Achigaazo provides literacy events for the entire community. On October 2, 2017, the library hosted #TheBigRead2017 through 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. About 75 children and their family members gathered in the library for supper and enjoyed story times, bouncy houses, face painting, and playing in the Smart Play Spot. With support from Lake Agassiz Regional Library, #TheBigRead2017 included a children’s book giveaway for all attendees and a guest appearance by Booker the Owl. Several lucky attendees won door prizes, including a generously donated, brand new Kindle Fire. Looking ahead, Kayla plans to continue coordinating services for the community and hopes to offer story times with elders, afterschool homework help for children, and an Ojibwe language table for all ages.
Despite these successes and aspirations, Maamigin Achigaazo faces challenges common among Minnesota’s tribal libraries: funding is absent, staffing is low, and space is limited. The grant-based funding model upon which tribal libraries depend creates instability; goalsetting and strategic planning are disrupted and derailed when funds are unavailable. While well-meaning donors often provide tribal libraries with boxes upon boxes of used books, the staff time needed to process materials, the financial cost of labels and barcodes and an ILS, and the limited nature of shelf-space can quickly turn unsolicited material donations into a burden. More than books, tribal libraries like Maamigin Achigaazo need sustainable funding in order to broaden and deepen the critical services they provide to their communities.
This post was co-written by Kayla Gordon, Literacy Specialist with White Earth Childcare/Early Childhood Programs. Kayla can be reached at kayla.gordon@whiteearth-nsn.gov or (218) 983-3285 ext. 1391.
